New Year’s Day may be the official public holiday, everyone knows that New Year’s Eve is when the party actually takes place, which is why it is such a shame that December 31 is not a public holiday in Australia. Although, to be frank, the public New Year’s Day public holiday is welcomed/needed as a recovery day for those who stayed up past midnight, so we won’t look a gift horse in the mouth. 

While New Year’s Eve may not be a public holiday across most states, there are some exceptions. In South Australia and the Northern Territory, 7pm to midnight on New Year’s Eve is considered a public holiday. 

New Year’s Day falls on Monday, January 1, 2024, so all of Australia will recognise the public holiday on that day. If you’re keen to use the public holidays to your advantage and add some annual leave so that you get more days off without using as much of your leave, here is our guide on how to double annual leave with Australian public holidays in 2024. 

Related story: Is Christmas Eve a public holiday in Australia?